Willem Dafoe

After his attention-grabbing performance as a vicious counterfeiter in "To Live and Die in L. A." (1985), actor Willem Dafoe soared to stardom and earned an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor i...
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First published nearly a century ago, pulp author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ sci-fi saga Barsoom will finally make the leap to the big screen on March 9, 2012, when Disney’s John Carter hits theaters. Based on on the novel A Princess of Mars, it stars Taylor Kitsch in the title role, a Civil War veteran who awakens one day on the red planet having no idea how he got there. Soon he is embroiled in a bitter conflict between opposing Martian civilizations and forbidden to ever wear a shirt.
Kitsch, his co-star, Willem Dafoe, and his director, Andrew Stanton, stopped by Disney’s D23 Expo over the weekend to hype John Carter to throngs of ardent Disneyphiles at the Anaheim Convention Center. We caught up with them backstage for a pair of guerilla flip-cam interviews:
Taylor Kitsch and Andrew Stanton

The moviemaker was famously banned from the Cannes Film Festival in France in May (11) after he rambled on about his German heritage and declared he could "understand" Hitler, while promoting his film Melancholia.
Now Von Trier will risk the industry's wrath again with his next project - the film, about a woman's sexual evolution, will feature penetrative sex scenes.
He tells Entertainment Weekly, "As a cultural radical I can't make a film about the sexual evolution of a woman from zero to 50 without showing penetration. I know it's something very European."
But he insists the film won't amount to porn, adding, "It principally is a film with a lot of sex in it and also a lot of philosophy."
Von Trier famously hired porn stars to replace his Antichrist stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg in the movie's most explicit scenes.

Leary and co-creator Peter Tolan will present objects from the acclaimed TV series to the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. on Thursday (14Jul11). The objects will join the museum's popular culture history collections, which is full of notable items from television history.
And Leary, though thrilled by the honour, fears the Smithsonian officials have the wrong guy.
He says, "I don't know how it happened... I think they actually think it's (Willem) Dafoe - they think Dafoe plays the guy. So, when I get there on Thursday, and they get a good look, they're gonna go, 'Wait a minute, we thought you were the Platoon guy!'
"It's (character) Tommy Gavin's helmet and bunker jacket that's going in."

We’ve got our first look at John Carter. Well, first looks is saying a bit much. This is concept art after all and what gets painted (or judging from the looks of this - what gets photoshopped) doesn’t always end up on screen. But still, just look at the potential!
We got some desert and some dust and an intriguing world that Green Lantern failed to come up with. Not to mention this is Andrew Stanton we’re talking about. Stanton wrote and directed Wall-E (among other amazing Pixar films) and now he's making his live action debut with a sci-fi adventure starring this handsome fellow? How could this not be amazing? Answer: it couldn't.
Source: Facebook

Paul Brooks sued the star for cash he claimed he was owed from 2000 movie Shadow of the Vampire, but Cage resolved the matter a day later.
A representative for the actor, who was the executive producer of the Willem Dafoe film, tells TMZ.com, "Contrary to recent reports that a lawsuit was going forth by Paul Brooks and Early Bird Productions against Mr. Cage, this matter has been resolved privately and amicably between the parties and therefore no legal action is being pursued."
The lawsuit will reportedly be formally withdrawn on Tuesday (05Jul11).

Paul Brooks claims Cage has yet to pay him $77,000 (£48,125) for work he did on the set of Shadow of the Vampire 11 years ago.
The film, starring Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich, lists Brooks as an executive producer and Cage as producer.
Brooks wants a judge to force the actor to pay up, according to TMZ.com.

Top Shelf
Platoon (MGM, $15.49)
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The Movie: War movies don’t get much more realistic than Oliver Stone’s Platoon. That’s not surprising, of course, considering Stone loosely based the screenplay off of his experiences as a soldier in Viet Nam and then hired multi-tour war veteran Dale Dye to help make sure he not only got all of the technical aspects of the film correct, but also made no concessions when it came to training the actors to get into the mindset of a real Viet Nam soldier. The result is a gritty, no-holds-barred movie that is confrontational and difficult to watch-- and that’s something that should be said of any movie about war.
Not only does Stone paint a vivid picture of how hellish infantry combat is with his story, but he assembled such an amazing cast to help bring it to life. Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Johnny Depp, John C. McGinley, Kevin Dillon, Forest Whitaker, Keith David and, of course, Charlie Sheen...it’s hard to ask for a better ensemble cast than that if you’re making a movie about a bunch of fresh faced grunts being fed into a sausage grinder. When it comes to Sheen and Berenger, these are career-high performances to boot, which is amazing considering how early on in their career Platoon was. Just another testament to how powerful Stone’s film is.
The Features: This is MGM’s 25th Anniversary set, which of course means they went all out. They’ve carried over most (but not all) of the most recent DVD’s extras, having kept the best bits (commentary tracks from Stone and Dale Dye, the latter of which is incredibly insightful). Even if you have that set, however, the new goodies are worth the upgrade: Deleted scenes, a retrospective featurette, war-era documentaries and mini-featurettes on the core cast and crew. Plus, it’s in HD, which is a remarkable upgrade over the previous DVD’s quality. If you’ve got friends who say they can’t tell the difference between a DVD and a Blu-ray, movies like this will shut them up. It’s not the best HD transfer ever made, but it’s a lot better than the DVD and the best you’re ever going to find it at home (unless you own a 35mm print of the film).
Who Should Buy It: Anyone who appreciates a good, kick-you-in-the-face war film.
Middle Shelf
Gnomeo &amp; Juliet (Disney/Buena Vista, $19.99)
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The Movie: Judging from the trailers, Gnomeo &amp; Juliet looks like another off-brand animated kids flick like Hoodwinked or Delgo. And while that is the case production wise (this is the first feature from Elton John’s Rocket Pictures), however talent wise it is a step closer to the Disney big leagues (no doubt that’s why Touchstone released it). If you’re an adult, seeing a classic story retold through garden gnomes really isn’t going to have much appeal, but Gnomeo &amp; Juliet has enough charm to it to break through your cold heart.
Actually, “enough” kind of sums up Gnomeo &amp; Juliet nicely. It always has just enough, be it in the animation department or the voice over department, to make you smile at it, but never enough to make you fall in love with it. If you’re a kid, however, I’m sure it’ll do the trick just fine.
The Features: There are two alternate endings and a number of deleted scenes here, but as is the case with most deleted scenes on animated films, these were never shot, so instead of a finalized sequence you’re watching an animated storyboard. The behind-the-scenes material is slightly more interesting, however, with a number of looks at the voice acting process (Ashley Jensen’s special is probably the best on the disc).
Who Should Buy It: People with lawn gnome obsessions, for everyone else this is, if you have children, a rental at best.
I Am Number Four (Disney/Buena Vista, $19.99)
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The Movie: I Am Number Four is the kind of movie I’m happy to say I have fun with, but that I fully realize is not a very good movie. It’s bursting with borrowed themes and chosen one cliches that are drawn from so many sources that it technically doesn’t count as plagiarism. But if you’ve watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Smallville or Roswell or any number of other serial-based shows about a teenager with super powers, you are already well-versed on I Am Number Four’s themes. It tweaks things just enough to scrap by and that’s it.
Normally I’d be harder on a movie that does just enough to scrap by, but the reason I give DJ Caruso’s film a pass is because the things it does do well it does incredibly well. It’s well-cast, well-shot and the final showdown between No. 4 and his alien pursuers at the high school is reason enough to recommend anyone sit through the exceedingly generic hour and twenty minutes that leads up to it.
The Features: This is a pretty barebones disc, but if you have a crush on Teresa Palmer, you’ll be happy to know she gets her very own, 12-minute behind-the-scenes featurette. Even if you’re not in her fanclub, however, it’s actually an interesting little segment that provides a look at some of the more elaborate stunts in the film. Beyond that it’s just a gag reel and a series of deleted scenes.
Interestingly enough, this is the first disc I’ve come across in recent memory that has a deleted scene worth checking out. Karen Allen has a roughly 3 minute scene with Timothy Olyphant that’ll make you do a double take. Not because the scene is actually interesting, but because it’ll make you wonder why a Steven Spielberg-produced movie would leave all of Karen Allen’s material on the cutting room floor. Lame.
Who Should Buy It: Teenagers will get the most mileage out of I Am Number Four, but I still say it’s a rental for adults who realize how generic it is.
All the Rest
The Big Bang (Starz/Anchor Bay, $19.99)
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Burning Palms (Image, $15.99)
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The End of Poverty? (Cinema Libre, $22.49)
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Grand Prix (Warner Brothers, $14.99)
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Gettysburg: Director's Cut (Warner Brothers, $23.99)
Click here to buy it!
Gods and Generals: Extended Director's Cut (Warner Brothers, $24.99)
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The Great Dictator (Criterion, $26.99)
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Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (Warner Brothers, $18.49)
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Le Mans (Paramount, $17.99)
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Papillon (Warner Brothers, $24.99)
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Solaris (1972) (Criterion, $26.99)
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Tigerland (MGM/UA, $20.99)
Click here to buy it!

The Spider-Man star was not home at the time of the Sunday night (22May11) break-in at the home he shares with his Italian wife Giada Colagrande.
A neighbour was alerted to the burglary by the building's alarm, which was allegedly triggered after the gang lowered themselves from the roof and into Dafoe's top-floor property using ropes and mountain-climbing equipment, according to the New York Post's Page Six column.
A Rome police representative tells the publication items stolen included jewellery, but "we are waiting for the owner to return to draw up a full list".
Dafoe is currently in New Mexico filming upcoming movie Odd Thomas.

This story just keeps getting weirder and weirder. First, I thought it was strange that Stephen Sommers would be directing an adaptation of Dean Koontz' Odd Thomas. Though the film will have its share of fantasy action, it'll certainly be a bit light on explosions, which is why I couldn't understand where Sommers would fit in. I've since gotten past that, but what baffles me more is Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson's involvement in the picture.
Variety reports that the rapper-turned-actor has signed on to play blind deejay Shamus Cocobolo in the film, which stars Anton Yelchin as a clairvoyant short-order cook who encounters a mysterious man with a link to dark forces. Addison Timlin, Willem Dafoe, Patton Oswalt, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nico Tortorella co-star. I can see why Jackson would want to take part in this pic, as its the biggest he's ever done, but why Sommers would choose him for this unique character is beyond me. My guess is that it was an economical decision, though there are dozens of young, hungry and better actors out there who'd die to get a chance to work on a movie like this. As you can tell, Sommers has some big names attached to the film, so he probably thought that he needed another to make it work. Oh well, the joke's going to be on him.
Production should begin soon in New Mexico, which means we should be seeing Odd Thomas some time next year.
Source: Variety

Seems that the cast for Odd Thomas has been more or less rounded out. Anton Yelchin stars as the short order cook who can see paranormal things. Addison Timlin is the love interest and apparently Willem Dafoe will the be the mentor police chief. And now we can add Nico Tortorella to the mix as the bad guy. Throw in some up-andcoming comic actor for the best friend role and we’re good to go!
Tortorella joins the Stephen Sommers directed Thomas after appearing in this week’s Scream 4 as Emma Robert’s ex-boyfriend. But let’s be honest here: you best remember him from Make It or Break It, the riveting show about... gymnastics which featured this amazing, amazing scene. Seriously, you cannot find a more unbelievable scene than that. It should be preserved in the television history books (a book for television? Um, okay) so future generations can experience it. So good.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Toured the U.S. and Europe for two years with Theatre X productions "Offending the Audience," "Phaedre," and "Razor Blades"

Starred opposite Robert Redford in the thriller "The Clearing"

Cast in the Public Theater's world premiere of "Idiot Savant"

Had cameo role as a menacing gas station attendent in David Cronenberg's visually intriguing if muddily plotted "eXistenZ"

Joined Wooster Group; debut performance in "Nayatt School"

Co-starred with Taylor Kitsch in sci-fi Western "John Carter"

Delivered a villainous turn as an anthropologist in the festival screened "Lulu on the Bridge"

Starred as Jesus in Martin Scorsese's controversial "The Last Temptation of Christ"

Appeared in print ads as model for Prada

Co-starred in the feature "Once Upon A Time In Mexico"

Again portrayed Green Goblin/Norman Osborn in "Spider-Man 2"

Acted in the Wooster Group's production of "North Atlantic"

Received critical plaudits for his slightly over-the-top portrayal of Max Schreck in the fictionalized account of the making of the classic vampire film "Nosferatu" (1922) in "Shadow of the Vampire"; earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination

Summary

After his attention-grabbing performance as a vicious counterfeiter in "To Live and Die in L. A." (1985), actor Willem Dafoe soared to stardom and earned an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor in the Academy Award-winning "Platoon" (1986). Prior to that performance, Dafoe used his menacing features and languid delivery to create an air of intensity for a succession of roles as toughs and villains, including in "The Loveless" (1981) and "Roadhouse 66" (1984). Following his breakthrough, however, the actor delivered a string of compelling performances, and even courted controversy as Jesus in "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988). Throughout his entire career, Dafoe moved easily between showy character turns like a hard-drinking paraplegic in "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) and leading roles like T.S. Eliot in "Tom & Viv" (1994). Occasionally, he turned on the camp to play over-the-top villains in "Speed 2: Cruise Control" (1997) and the "Spider-Man" series. But he also turned in high-caliber performances, as he did playing German actor Max Schreck in "Shadow of the Vampire" (2000), which showcased the wealth of talent he had displayed throughout his varied career.

Met at the Performance Group; were professional collaborators and founding members of The Wooster Group; Split in 2004

Education

Name

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Appleton East High School

Notes

"Shadow of the Vampire" screenwriter Steven Katz wrote the role of Max Schreck expressly for Willem Dafoe. As he explained in the press notes for the film, "He just had this quality, a mixture of the incredibly frightening and threatening with an erotic charge too that I thought was perfect for the part."

On creating the character of Max Schreck for "Shadow of the Vampire," Dafoe was quoted in the press notes as saying, "The most important research tool was the footage. The only thing I could find out about Max was that a biographer of Murnau said he was 'an actor of no distinction.' But the script was very strong, and we had the actual 'Nosferatu' film as a kind of touchstone and base. So much had to wait until I got into the prosthetic make-up. I didn't just have extreme make-up, but also a costume that was restricting. The shoes made me walk a particular way. The padding in the clothes also made me walk a particular way. It was great because it's a huge mask which frees you up so much."

"I don't work with so many people who impress me with the way they live their life and do their work, and he [Dafoe] does. He seems to me to be very easy going. He's rather well balanced." – John Malkovich on Dafoe to Biography July 2002

"There's a little bit of 'What have I done?' in the sense that I've never made movies that kids could see. I'm starting to anticipate the day that I'm in the grocery store and a little kid says, 'Mommy! The Green Goblin!' Nothing like that has ever happened to me." – Dafoe to Prevue magazine in 2002

"Let's face it. When [casting] agents are looking for a guy-next-door type they don't think of me unless the character lives next door to a mausoleum." – Dafoe to the Calgary Sun, May 1, 2002

"What keeps you alive as an actor is your ability to apply yourself to something that you're curious about, and to fall in love with it. I don't think of acting as an interpretive art. I think it's an invitation to become something." – Dafoe to Venice, December 2004/January 2005